Going by the name "Essam," the artist
told ANIMAL New York that he is a 29-year-old art-school grad
from Maine who served in Iraq as a geo-spatial analyst.

Over a two-day span in the last month he and his crew put
up about 100 faux NYPD drone ads in various spots around the city
to create a mainstream conversation about (potentially
weaponized) drones coming to the skies above New York City and
whether or not we as citizens want that to happen.

ANIMAL reports that he is currently being pursued by the
NYPD's “counter terrorism squad,” but we'd love to
help extend the conversation that's he's having with the
public.

We are the definition of discrete, we'll leave our cell
phones behind and meet wherever he'd like, but we're pretty
determined to highlight the apparent injustice against him by the
NYPD. All while covering the full scope of his work, and its
message, in a featured photo essay.

If you are "Essam" or know someone who knows him, please
shoot us an email at rjohnson@businessinsider.com or
mkelley@businessinsider.com or a shoot Military Editor Robert
Johnson a text at 917-715-6472.